Kids try kayaking in UMaine pool

ORONO, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The University of Maine's pool was filled with kids, kayaks, and man's best friend for the 76th Annual Eastern Maine Sportsmen's Show.

Six year old Abby Chapman proclaimed herself the better kayaker when she and her brother Alex competed at the 76th Annual Eastern Maine Sportsmen's Show. Both are first time kayakers, eager to try a new sport.

"Kids, especially the young ones, they just love it. If they've never tried it before, they love it," says Jeremy Smith, Senior Sales Associate at Old Town Canoe Visitors Center and Factory Outlet.

Smith and the staff of Old Town Canoe are letting visitors take a break from the winter weather with the boats in the UMaine pool. Smith says seeing kids get excited about an outdoor sport he loves is the best part of his day.

"Oh, it makes you feel awesome! It's a great thing to see because that's the continuation of the sport, and that way they hopefully don't have their faces too much into their personal devices and their actually out in the outdoors," he says.

But it's not just kayaking that everyone came out for today.

The Guns Up Hunting Retriever Club was also on the scene with their furry k-nine friends for a duck hunting demonstration. Trainers used duck calls and commands to instruct their dogs to jump in to the water to retrieve a toy. Even though there were a few clumsy moments, trainers are more than proud of their dogs when they retrieve their fake ducks.

"You feel incredible, it's just like having a child shoot the winning basket in the tournament game. You just feel wonderful, it's the best feeling in the world just to see a dog, the light bulb come on, see them progress," says Kathleen Hartley, Vice President of the Guns Up Hunting Retriever Club.

If you would like to try kayaking or see the Guns Up Retriever dogs, there is still time. The last day of the Eastern Maine Sportsmen's Show is Sunday, March 9, from 9am to 3pm. For event schedule go to www.conservationassociation.org/sportsmensshow.